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A14 sports
Friday 27 May 2022
At surprise-filled French Open, tennis prodigy makes good

By HOWARD FENDRICH Iga Swiatek ran her winning
AP Tennis Writer streak to 30 matches, the
PARIS (AP) — Grand Slam longest in women's tennis
losses by high-ranked, well- since Serena Williams had
known and accomplished a 34-match run in 2013,
players to, well, lower- by overwhelming Alison
ranked, lesser-known and Riske 6-0, 6-2; No. 3 Paula
less-accomplished oppo- Badosa recovered from
nents offer a rare opportu- a mid-match lapse to get
nity for those unheralded past Kaja Juvan 7-5, 3-6,
winners to enjoy the spot- 6-2; No. 7 Aryna Sabalenka
light. defeated Madison Brengle
And for the first time in 6-1, 6-3.
nearly a half-century, just "I could feel like, 'Wow, this
three of the top 10 seeds in is good, because they are
the French Open women's losing.' But in this case, I'm
draw made it to the round more like, 'OK, pay atten-
of 32. tion, because anything can
So meet Leolia Jeanjean: happen,'" said Badosa, a
age 26; from Montpellier, quarterfinalist in Paris a year
France; ranked 227th; a ago. "You saw it today."
wild-card entry after never The men's draw certainly
before being a Slam partic- France's Leolla Jeanjean plays a shot against Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic during their has seen some excitement
ipant; seemingly destined second round match at the French Open tennis tournament in Roland Garros stadium in Paris, — including five-set vic-
as a kid for great things in France, Thursday, May 26, 2022. tories after being match
tennis, so much so that there Associated Press point down for both No. 3
were sponsorship deals be- Alexander Zverev and No. 6
fore she was old enough Thursday. other chance," Jeanjean According to the WTA, the Carlos Alcaraz on Wednes-
to attend high school, un- "Even me, I don't have an said. "because in my head, previous time three or few- day — but all 12 of the
til, that is, an injured knee explanation. I don't even since I was good when I er top-10 women's seeds highest seeds advanced
derailed things. She left the realize what's happening," was like 14, 15, I'm like, 'Why got to the French Open's to the third round, the first
sport for a couple of years, Jeanjean said. "It's my first can't I be good 10 years round of 32 was in 1976; in time that's happened at
wound up moving to the Grand Slam. I thought I later?' So that's why, yeah, I those days, only eight play- the French Open since
U.S., where she played col- would have lost in the first (took a) chance. And so far ers were seeded to begin 2009, according to the ATP.
lege tennis at Baylor, then round in two sets — and it's working." with in a field of 64, half No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, the
Arkansas, then Lynn Univer- I found myself beating a Asked whether he also was of the current tournament runner-up to Novak Djokov-
sity in Boca Raton, Florida, top-10 player. So, honestly, stunned by it all, Jeanjean's size. ic at Roland Garros last
while pursuing her studies in I have nothing else to say. coach of three months, Pliskova and Collins joined year, saved four set points
finance. At Lynn, she went I don't really know how it's Thomas Delgado, quickly No. 2 Barbora Krejciko- after falling behind 6-2 in
unbeaten in singles and possible." replied, straight-faced: va — the 2021 champion the last tiebreaker before
doubles, so it occurred to A year ago at this time, she "No." And then he chuck- who was beaten in the first putting away 134th-ranked
her maybe a professional was ranked outside the led, before continuing: round Monday, then pulled qualifier Zdenek Kolar 6-3,
career was worth a try. top 800 and winning hun- "Well, yes, I am. ... On one out of doubles, because 7-6 (8), 6-7 (3), 7-6 (6) in
Good choice for Jeanjean. dreds of dollars at low-level side, I'm surprised she did it. she tested positive for COV- a 4-hour, 6-minute tussle
Bad one for her foes so far International Tennis Fed- But on the other, I knew she ID-19 — No. 4 Maria Sakkari, Thursday night.
at Roland Garros, includ- eration events. No matter could." No. 5 Anett Kontaveit, No. Kolar never had won a
ing Karolina Pliskova, a what happens in her next No. 9 Danielle Collins, the 6 Ons Jabeur and No. 10 tour-level match until this
two-time major finalist and match, she'll leave Paris Australian Open runner-up Garbiñe Muguruza, who all week, but his relentless ball-
the No. 8 seed, who was with at least 125,000 euros in January, departed, too, were gone by Wednesday. tracking left Tsitsipas ac-
unable to offer much re- ($135,000). eliminated by 50th-ranked The remaining trio, all in knowledging at the end:
sistance Thursday and was "When I stopped playing Shelby Rogers 6-4, 6-3 in a the top half of the brack- "He drove me crazy. Yeah,
beaten 6-2, 6-2 by Jeanje- when I was young, I just matchup between Ameri- et, won second-round it was really frustrating. ...
an in the second round on wanted to give myself an- cans. matches Thursday: No. 1 Not easy. Not easy."q

De Bondt wins last flat stage of Giro; Carapaz still leads

TREVISO, Italy (AP) — Bel- ture within the final three lowed by a hilly individual behind Carapaz. part of an early four-man
gian rider Dries De Bondt kilometers of the stage — time trial that ends the race Two-time winner Vincenzo breakaway and he sprint-
won a four-man sprint to which were neutralized, in Verona on Sunday. Nibali -- who plans to retire ed past Edoardo Affini and
take the last flat stage of a meaning he was given the "I checked Landa and at the end of the season Magnus Cort Nielsen at
Giro d'Italia that looks like same finishing time as the Hindley all the time as I -- moved up to fourth, al- the line. "We did a good
being decided on the last other leaders he was riding knew there could be some though he remained nearly operation with the other
day Sunday. with when he had to stop gaps," Carapaz said. "I six minutes off the lead. escapees in the final kilo-
Richard Carapaz, the for mechanical help. want to keep the maglia The stage ended with a flat meters to keep the peloton
2019 champion and Tokyo Mikel Landa stayed third rosa till the end, I trust in my circuit around Treviso to behind, and then we had
Olympics gold medalist, overall, 1:05 behind Cara- legs." João Almeida, the conclude a 156-kilometer to focus on Magnus who is
maintained a three-second paz. Portuguese rider who stood (97-mile) route from Borgo a very fast rider," De Bondt
lead in the overall standings The remaining three stages fourth overall, withdrew Valsugana that included said. "It's my first win in a GT
from Australia's Jai Hindley, will determine the winner: before the 18th stage af- two fourth-category climbs. (Grand Tour), I can't be-
who was runner-up in 2020. Grueling mountain legs on ter testing positive for CO- De Bondt, who rides for the lieve it. It was a dream to
Hindley had a tire punc- Friday and Saturday fol- VID-19. Almeida was 1:54 Alpecin-Fenix team, was achieve a win like this."q